Song of the lions
by Gothic Faerie
Summary: yet another alanna goes to convent story but this is really different she is still going to become a knight *hey chapter 4 is up very short but a longer chap is comin soon*
1. the convent

Stupid maude why couldn't she have just let me and thom switch places. Alanna of trebond thought as she rode to the convent. She had wanted to become a knight not a silly lady. She was going to switch places with thom her brother who had wanted to become a great sorcerer at the city of the gods where alanna was headed now. But they told maude their nurse their plan and she was totally against it she made sure that alanna went with her to the convent and thom to the palace with coram. "alanna, stop daydreaming we have arrived."maude told alanna. Alanna looked around. "I have to stay here for the next 8 years? I'm going to go crazy! Goddess! This is horrible it's nothing but gray!"alanna said. "come now, you'll get used to it, now you had better behave proper I'll be back in three months." Maude said as she lead allanna to the large door. "ah I presume you are alanna of trebond." The first daughter said as she welcomed them inside. "yes this is alanna, now she'll probably be very stubborn you see she doesn't think it neccasary for girls to become ladies shed rther to mens work."maude said. "oh dear well it will be a hard journey but she'll be a lady in no time." The daughter answered. Alanna just stood there and grumbled  
  
Months past, since alanna first came to the convent, she was forced to where dresses, and learn to dance and sew and use magic. It drove her crazy, it didn't help that the other girls constently talked about her saying she was a disgrace. But one day when alanna was giving up any hope of getting out of the convent she heard some of the other girls talking. "It's absolutly horrible I just found out at 2 in the morning we are totally vulnerable to attack." The first girl said. "really how?" another one said. "oh well at 2 the gaurds switch shifts and there is no one one guard for fifteen minutes that's all it akes for someone to get in or out." The first girl replied. The other girls whispered excitedly but alanna didn't need to hear anymore. A plan was forming in her head. Alanna decided as she got to her room the the next day she would run from the convent. The next day she wondered if the daughters suspected anything because, alanna was over joyed and happy the whole day not once day did she grumble about how stupid her classes or assignments were. The daugthers didn't didn't suspect a thing they just congradulated themselves about finnaly getting through the untameable trebond girl.  
  
After supper alanna went straight to her room, she pulled out one of her saddle bags and put all her breeches and shirts in then her shoes and bow and arrows which she had brought from home but had never been allowed to use. She then tucked the bag underneath her bed and snuggled under her covers.  
  
At 1:30 she awoke again and got dressed she put her cloak for it was still very cold in the mountains and put on her softest leather boots she grabbed her bags and crept out the door. Tip-toeing through the halls she reached the door outside finding it was locked and that she couldn't open it with her gift she moved to one of the windows which was also locked but she could open it with her gift. Alanna put her bags down first then climbed out, it was nearly 2, time for the switch. She ran to the stables and saddeled chubby her pony. She lead him towards the door then realised she would be heard coming from the sound of chubby's hooves. She grabbed some cloth and covered each hoove with some then set out again. It was time she could see the guard leaving his post. 'it's now or never' she thought. Alanna climbed onto chubby's back and they were off, racing as fast as she could, she only slowed her pace when they could barley see the convent. "free at last" alanna said outloud. 


	2. the palace

"hey you're getting better thom"raoul of goldenlake told his red headed friend. "Gah I hate this"thom replied back. They had just finished fencing practice. "well come one let's go down to see george" prince jon suggested "sure why not" thom said. Gary, raoul, jon, and thom headed off to the stables to get their horses. Once they got there they mounteed and began to ride to the city at casual pace. The group had just gotten to the city when thom halted. "why did you stop?" gary questioned. Thom didn't answer he just started to mutter "oh shit oh shit, hide yes go hide that's what I'll do". Thom moved his horse arund behind gary and raoul. "what are talking about thom?" jon asked. "over there"thom said back. His friends looked over to see who he was pointing at, Thom had pointed out a girl riding a sandy coloured horse wearing men's cloths and her hair tucked up in her hat. At that moment the girl looked over at them. The smile she was wearing turned to a glare when her eyes landed on thom. Thom seeing this just turned around and started galloping away. The girl's glare turned back into a smile as she start galloping after him, catching up to him quickly. "what do you suppose thom did?"raoul asked gary and jon. "who knows with him"jon answered. The girl had caught up with thom and was side by side with when she roughly shooved him from his saddle. She then got off her own horse and strted towards thom who was trying to run away when she grabbed onto his shirt. "It looks like thom needs some help" gary said, and them he raoul and jon started riding toward thom and the girl. As they grew closer they could here the girl shouting at thom. "Oh my God! You didn't even try to help me you didn't evenb write! You have no idea what I've been through these last months!" she yelled. She was about to punch thom when raoul grabbed her wrist. " calm down girl! Thom what is going on?!?" raoul said. "oh well…uh…"was all thom could say. The girl who was released by raoul removed her hat and looked up at thoms friends. They gasped this girl had the same red hair and purple eyes as thom. "I'm alanna, thom's twin" she told them. "uh yeah, lanna these are my friends, raoul of goldenlake, gary the younger of naxen, and prince jonathon of well here"thom finnally said. "oh, your majesty."alanna said as she bowed, which puzzeled thoms friends even more. "would someone care to explain everything."raoul said not bothering to hide his confustion. "yeah how about we explain once we get don to the dancing dove. With that Gary, raoul, alanna, jon, and thom headed to the pub.  
  
"Hey is George here."jon asked. "not yet he should be here soon though he had some….buisness to take care of"the bar keeper answered. The group went and sat down at a table. "ok so explain"jon said. "ok well as I told you I'm thoms twin alanna, but anyway, thom should have been the girl and I should have been the boy because well thom wanted to become a great sorcerer and I wanted to become a knight, because, I loved to fish and hunt and ride and I'm really good at it, and thom well isn't, anyway our father was forcing thom to come here and me to the convent to become a lady. After much thought however, me and thom came up with a plan, thom would go to the convent where he could learn sorcery and I would cut my hair and what not and pretend to be a boy and come here." Alanna said. "but it would have worked except my brilliant plan to get our village healer to help us went wrong she woudn't here of it alanna becoming a knight and me a sorcerer. So she made sure alanna went to the convent and that I went to the palace." Thom finished off. "wow that's gotta suck"gary said. "ya which reminds me about my need to kill thom."alanna said standing up. "now calm down lanny, I'm sure the convent wasn't that bad."thom said backing away from her. "not that bad? Not that bad? You have no idea what I've been through, they made me where pink frilly dresses and ride side saddell. I finnally escaped two days ago after fifteen tries" alanna said turning very red. "woah thom wht's gotten you all hyped up"a new voice asked. "thom? I'm not thom"alanna replied. "I'm over here george" thom said getting up. "what, how , ok who the hell are you then?" george asked alanna. "me? I'm alanna, thom's twin"she replied. "oh…..ok can someone explain this to me"george said sitting down. Alanna and thom explained what happened again to george. "well to bad I guess don't what I'm going to do now, I'm definatly not going back to the convent, I can't exactly be a knight anymore." Alanna said glumly. "well not neccasarily"jon said in a quiet voice. Everyone turned and stared at him. 


	3. The Plan

Alanna jumped up from her chair and grabbed jons collar. "what do you mean?" she asked very slowly but very excited at the same time.  
  
"well…technically you still could train as a knight, using your original plan well sort of, escept well thom you'd still be stuck here."jon answered  
  
"really? Oh god I would do nearly anything! To be a knight, oh my god. Please tell me how!" alanna cried.  
  
"Uh yeah jon what is exactly your plan, because I'm sure we're all willing to help alanna but I'm stumped"raoul said, while george gary and thom nodded in agreement.  
  
"mithros, you people are slow, it's simple, alanna you have the gift all you have to do is cast an illusion spell to change the color of your eyes and then well you could be alan of…somewhere? Sorry that's as far as I got in my little plan." Jon said shrugging.  
  
"Is that a wise idea?" an unknown voice from the doorway said. Thom and his friends wipped around. In the doorway stood the boys history teacher Sir myles of Olau.  
  
"uh sir Myles…what are you doing here…uh we were uh…how much did you here?"thom stuttered.  
  
"uh not much just that you plan to help your sister mascarade as a boy in order to become a knight, about time there another female knight too, oh yes I'm just here for a drink, but if you need help I'm always available" with a smile myles walked over and sat down at the bar.  
  
"who was that" alanna asked sounding slightly distressed.  
  
"that would be are history teacher sir myles of Olau, he's very well different, hes really nice, history has got to be the over all favorite class just because he teaches it" thom told her.  
  
"He's also a very good drinking partner, he comes down here a lot." George added.  
  
"He won't tell?" after received an answer of heads shaking she continued, "ok so I could change my eye colour, and I could cut my hair, and well I already know basic fighting so I won't be that far behind, but oh no, where do I come from, we need somewhere where we know someone incharge who is willing to help"she said.  
  
"that would be a problem."gary said  
  
  
  
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Ok I know that was a really short chapter but my brain ain't workin right now I'm kinda stumped so please give me ideas and read my other tamora pierce fic: the devil's reign.  
  
Ok so if you have any ideas please e-mail them to me at purple_pistachios@hotmail.com  
  
Thanx Pleez Review 


	4. Success

The group was in deep thought, trying to figure a way for alanna to be excepted into the palace. They had already figured it would be fairly easy to change how she looked so she wouldn't be reconised as related to thom, and so she wouldn't be reconized as a girl, but they now needed to come up with a place that alanna came from.  
  
It was harder than it seemed for a letter had to be written to duke gareth asking for alanna to be trained as a knight, and of course the duke would have to wright back as well as in other times in the year. Some duke or Earl would oneday collect his mail to find a letter talking about his son alan, but of course he would not have a son named alan.  
  
"Damn it what am I going to" alanna yelled in rage.  
  
"who knows…wait a minute I see a plan froming in my head"jon answered.  
  
As jon mumbled on about possible plans that always resulted in nothing George found his attention drifting, his eyes finnaly rested on alanna. There was something about her different from all other girls he'd met before.  
  
As if Alanna realised he was staring at hr her head snapped around to look at him. George quickly looked away to face Myles.  
  
"that's it!"George Exclaimed walking over to Myles gathering stares from his friends.  
  
"Hey Myles don't you have a nephew named say Alan?"George asked casually.  
  
"Well now that you mention it I just might, Yes, I believe hes going to be going to the palace as soon as he takes some of buisness here." Myles answered smiling over at the table where alanna sat.  
  
When alanna's and myle's eyes met he nodded and smiled, Alanna jumped up and yelled in joy. 


	5. I'm In!

Duke Gareth of Naxen looked up from the papers he was sorting through on his desk, when his son and nephew entered his office followed by a small boy.  
  
The boy had redish brown hair the was cut just below his ears, and blue eyes with a hint of purple in them. The boy's face looked as if he could be about 13 but from his hight it looked like he was no more than 10 or 11.  
  
"what can I do for you?" duke gareth asked them.  
  
"Oh yeah well, your grace, this is Alan of Nimon's Hill, he's here under sir myles's care, Alan is his nephew. Myles asked us if we could bring Alan to see you as he is to train as a knight." Jonathon said to his Uncle.  
  
"Well You have done your job you may leave while I talk to Alan" Duke Gareth told Gary and Jon. "Now Alan is it?" He asked turning to Alanna. When she nodded he continued, "Your training here will long and hard, for your first four years at the palace you will be a page, then if all your teachers feel you are ready you will become a squire.At this point A knight may ask you to become his personal squire you will look after his gear, go with him where you are needed, you will also have ajoining rooms. If you are called to be a personal squire, the times you are at the palace you will train with the other squires. When you are eighteen, you will under go the ordeal of knighthood, not all pass this final test, but don't fret about it yet you have quite a few hard years before that." The Duke finished.  
  
Alanna looked at him in awe. "well don't sit there gawking, go see timon in the page's wing he'll give you training clothes and a uniform then show you to your room." Duke gareth said ushering alanna out of the room.  
  
Outside Gary and Jon were waiting for her. "so…."they asked. A smile spread across her face "I'm in!!!" She said in delight.  
  
"Good, let's go get you settled." jon told her leading the way.  
  
They stopped at a wooden door at the end of a hall way. Jon knocked on it. "come in" said a voice from inside. Jon oened the door and they walked in.  
  
Inside, it was a small dark room the walls covered with shelves, stocked high with clothes. At the back of the room there was a desk were a man sat when they walked in he instantly got up and bowed to jonathon.  
  
"Well then how may I help you?" he asked getting up from behind the desk.  
  
"Alan needs a uniform and practice clothes, and a room." Jon said pushing Alanna forward. Timon looked her over, then turned to the shelves.  
  
"you sure are a small one, here these will do, a uniform to be worn at meals and in morning classes, then three sets of practice clothes. Any rips or holes you repair them your self, I don't want to see you here for new clothes for at least six months now for a room." Timon walked over to the desk and sorted through some papers, right here's a room across from thom of trebond, now what's your name" he asked  
  
"Alan of Nimon's hill" Alanna replied, watching timon write in her name down.  
  
"I trust you boys will be able to show alan to his rooms." Timon said and handed alanna her new clothes, then ushered them out the door.  
  
"Here we go, your new home"gary said stopping infront of a wooden door, opening it up. "A little small but it's nice and cozy." He finished with a smile.  
  
Alanna Jon and gary walked into the room. Her packs were alreaady there(A/N: I kno she didn't really have any packs in other chapters but she does now so yeah)  
  
She was just about to unpack when the sound of somene stumbleing and falling came from the hall.  
  
Alanna and her new friends looked outside her door to find a very tangled up in his own clothes, thom on the floor.  
  
"Thom what on earth are you doing?"Gary asked looking down at him.  
  
"What am I doing? What are you doing? We morning classes in ten minutes!"Thom nearly shouted.  
  
Gary and Jon paled."oh shit…."Jon trailed off, then straightened up again. "Alanna we'll be back in five minutes be dressed in your uniform and be prepared to run like hell" Jon said then pulled gary out of the room and ran off to a room further down the hall, and Gary to a room a bit further.  
  
Alanna shut the door, and started to change, into her red uniform. Five minutes later someone was banging on the door. She opened it up to find Jon, Gary, Thom, a sleepy looking Raoul, and two other boys. 


End file.
